26 Healthy Protein Shake Recipes That Taste Amazing

Smoothies are a great way to get a nutrient-packed meal or snack, stat. They provide everything you need — protein, healthy fats, vegetables, and fruits — all in one convenient package.

“Smoothies make for a convenient, portable, and easy meal (or snack) with no cooking skills required,” says sports dietitian Marni Sumbal, MS, CSSD and author of Essential Sports Nutrition: A Guide to Optimal Performance for Every Active Person. “Overall, the drink can be a compact way to obtain key nutrients that may be otherwise lacking in your daily diet and to also quickly give your body what it needs to maximize the recovery response after a workout.”

While drinks from smoothie stores can often contain a bazillion calories and tons of sugar, it’s easy to make a healthy smoothie healthy if you're opting for the DIY approach. The flavor possibilities are endless, but these TK protein-rich mash-ups guarantee you’ll be well on your way to some happy slurping. For each recipe, place the ingredients in the order listed and blend until smooth.

2. Apple and Great Grains Shake

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This shake tastes like apple pie in a glass, but you won't find 58 grams of protein in a slice of Grandma’s famous dessert. Most blenders will be able to handle pulverizing an apple, St. Pierre says. Leave the skin on for extra phyto-nutrients.

4. Strawberry Banana Shake

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Adding ground flax to this classic protein shake provides you with extra fiber and heart-healthy omega-3 fats, St. Pierre says. (Trying to work more healthy fats into your diet? Here are the best sources of Omega-3s.)

9. Superfood Shake

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Nutrients in deeply colored fruits and vegetables like beets and cherries can boost athletic performance and help with muscle recovery, says Amy Culp, R.D., a sports dietitian at the University of Texas at Austin.

10. Dr. Mike’s Power Shake

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This smoothie from Men’s Health nutrition advisor Mike Roussell, PhD packs in a whole cup of blueberries, and you’ll also get a dose of omega-3 fats—good for your brain and heart—from the walnuts and flax.

14. Strawberry Banana Post-Workout Smoothie

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This smoothie makes for the perfect recovery drink. It’s not only loaded with muscle-building protein, but also boasts a blend of healthful nutrients that speed recovery and nourish your body, says Roussell.

15. Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

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Drink this for the perfect afternoon snack. It’s packed with protein, fiber, and antioxidants, and a nearly even amount of carbs and fat. So it’s filling and tasty, says Roussell, and comes in at a very reasonable 347 calories.

19. Matcha Madness Smoothie

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Worthy of its Instagram fame, matcha green tea powder contains up to 137 times more antioxidant firepower than regular green tea. Blend it into this muscle-making smoothie that tastes like a tropical vacation in a glass.

20. Blue Bomb Smoothie

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This smoothie might be blue, but there's nothing gloomy about it. “For a tiny fruit, blueberries are packed with nutrition including vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants,” says Sumbal. Cottage cheese is loaded with casein protein, a slow-digesting protein to help supply your muscles with a steady level of fuel. Bonus: the omega-3 fats in flax are good news for your heart and brain.

21. Orange Crush Smoothie

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Here’s a smoothie that Bugs Bunny would hop into the kitchen for. Carrots and pineapple supply vitamin C to help keep the sniffles at bay, while tahini infuses the drink with a roasted sesame flavor. Pasteurized egg whites such as AllWhites are perfectly safe to go straight from carton to blender and offer an alternative source of protein – in fact, a 1/2 cup serving of liquid egg whites is about the equivalent of 3 large eggs, or nearly 15 grams of protein.

22. PB&J Smoothie

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This smoothie tastes like everyone’s favorite schoolyard sandwich (hold the bread). Wheat germ is the stealth health food here, as it contains a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals including selenium, magnesium, phosphorus and thiamine.

23. Pear Crisp Smoothie

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Who says smoothies are just for berries and bananas? Pears, which are a good source of hunger-crushing fiber, can definitely go for a ride in your blender. Pecans offer up a bit of texture and cholesterol-busting monounsaturated fat. Your mom’s crisp was never this nutritious.

24. Sweet Spud Smoothie

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Cooked sweet potato adds a hit of natural sweetness to this decadent-tasting shake, as well as a hit of vitamin A. “Vitamin A is great for the immune system and to help protect against oxidative damage in your body,” notes Sumbal. Sumbal adds that tangy kefir is a fantastic source of powerful probiotics to bolster digestive health. Tip: To freeze ripe bananas for extra-creamy smoothies, simply peel the fruit, chop into quarters, spread out on a baking sheet and freeze until solid.

25. Cherry Cheesecake Smoothie

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This smoothie tastes like dessert, albeit a mega-nutritious one. Rich-tasting ricotta provides an extra dose of muscle-friendly whey protein and pitted frozen cherries help you get some immune-boosting vitamin C.

26. Mocha Smoothie

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A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that men experienced an increase in perceived fullness following the consumption of a thick, lower calorie, dairy-based drink than when they sipped a higher-calorie, thinner drink. To increase that feeling of fullness, pour this perky smoothie into a bowl and then garnish with granola for crunch, and fresh raspberries for extra hunger-taming fiber.

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